Emotions & Feelings

Introduction

N4 opens up a much wider emotional vocabulary. While N5 covers basics like 嬉しい and 悲しい, this level introduces nuanced feelings — anxiety, relief, loneliness, and pride — that allow for deeper self-expression.

Understanding these words also helps you read character emotions in stories and manga.

Themes

All JLPT N4 Vocabulary in This Chapter (26)

1. 気持ち きもち Feeling; sensation; mood. Describes one's inner emotional or physical state.
2. 感謝 かんしゃ Gratitude; appreciation; thankfulness. A deep sense of thanks toward someone.
3. 幸せ しあわせ Happiness; good fortune; blessing. A state of being content and joyful.
4. 不幸 ふこう Unhappiness; misfortune; disaster. A state of sorrow or bad luck.
5. 満足 まんぞく Satisfaction; contentment; gratification. Being pleased with a result or situation.
6. 不満 ふまん Dissatisfaction; discontent; complaint. A feeling of being unhappy with something.
7. 心配 しんぱい Worry; concern; anxiety. A feeling of unease about something uncertain.
8. 安心 あんしん Peace of mind; relief; sense of security. A feeling of being safe and reassured.
9. 緊張 きんちょう Tension; nervousness; strain. A state of being tense or anxious.
10. 興奮 こうふん Excitement; agitation; arousal. A state of heightened emotional energy.
11. 退屈 たいくつ Boredom; tedium; dullness. The state of finding something uninteresting.
12. 感情 かんじょう Emotion; feeling; sentiment. The broad range of human emotional experiences.
13. 機嫌 きげん Mood; temper; humor. One's current emotional disposition.
14. 自信 じしん Self-confidence; confidence in oneself. Belief in one's own abilities.
15. 勇気 ゆうき Courage; bravery; valor. The mental strength to face fear or difficulty.
16. 厳しい きびしい Strict; severe; harsh. Demanding high standards or difficult to endure.
17. 真面目 まじめ Serious; earnest; diligent. Having a sincere and hardworking character.
18. 素直 すなお Honest; obedient; gentle-natured. Open and receptive without resistance.
19. 熱心 ねっしん Enthusiastic; eager; keen. Showing passionate dedication to something.
20. 積極的 せっきょくてき Positive; proactive; assertive. Taking initiative and engaging actively.
21. 消極的 しょうきょくてき Passive; negative; half-hearted. Lacking initiative or enthusiasm.
22. 冷静 れいせい Calm; composed; cool-headed. Maintaining emotional control under pressure.
23. がっかり がっかり Disappointed; dejected; let down. Feeling disheartened by an outcome.
24. うんざり うんざり Fed up; sick of; disgusted. Feeling weary from too much of something.
25. わくわく わくわく Excited; thrilled; eager. A feeling of joyful anticipation.
26. 気分 きぶん Feeling; mood; atmosphere. How one feels at a given moment.